


Necessary Details

by TeaandBanjo



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: Gen, firearms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-09 02:51:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11660088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaandBanjo/pseuds/TeaandBanjo
Summary: Jack explains things Phryne doesn't want to hear.





	1. Will it load?

Phryne Fisher watched out of one corner of her eye as DI Jack Robinson picked up her new Colt 1911 pistol.  He pulled back the slide, examine the empty chamber, and pointed the pistol at a piece of ornamental trim on her mantle.  

She continued to take cartriges out of the cardboard box, and pushed them one by one into the clip.

Jack lowered the pistol, and frowned as he watched her hands.  The pistol ended up on the cushion next to her, still pointed at the fireplace. 

He snatched the box of cartridges off the table,  and she picked up the pistol.

She gripped the pistol, and slid the clip home with the palm of her hand.  It made a satisfying click as it latched into place.

Jack's forehead creased as he read the box.

She pulled back the slide and released it to load the first round from the clip.

"I really don't think that's going to fit."

"Of course it will, just push."  Phryne smiled.  

Jack took the pistol out of her hands,  pointed it at the fireplace, and thumbed the magazine release, letting the clip drop onto the rug.  "Phryne, your new pistol needs 45 ACP.  .455 is not the same thing."  

"See, the slide won't even go all the way forward."  He gripped the slide firmly, and pulled it towards him.  The offending cartridge was ejected, bouncing off the back of Phryne's plush parlor sofa and landing in her lap.

"Even if you could get the round in the chamber, the headspace is wrong, the bullet diameter is different, and I'm not sure if it would create enough pressure to cycle the action."  He set the pistol down on the coffee table. 

"Jack..."

"How did you even get these into the magazine?"  

"Jack!"

"Yes, Phryne?"  

"Sometimes, you go into way too much detail, when a simple answer is enough."

He looked up at her with a hurt expression.  She suddenly felt like she had kicked a puppy.

"That's what Rosie said," he sighed.


	2. Is it lunch?

Mrs Dorothy Collins carried her tray of paper wrapped sandwitches from the pantry into the kitchen.  There was an empty picnic hamper waiting, and Miss Fisher had plans.

Things seemed tense in the kitchen.

Miss Fisher and the inspector were eyeing each other from opposite ends of the table. Dot immediately noticed his atypical casual jacket (light brown tweed, Norfork, slightly rumpled), the canvas rucksak over one shoulder, and the rather scuffed leather suitcase which he had placed on the table.  He was ignoring Miss Fisher's beige driving coat, and focused on the furled beach umbrella and tote bag she held.

"Why do we need the beach gear, Miss Fisher?"

Mr. Butler touched Dorothy's elbow.  "Here is the rest of the food."  He set the pile down next to the hamper.

"Oh, no," whispered Dorothy. "I really don't think that's going to fit."

"Of course it will, just push," interrupted the inspector, giving his full attention to the hamper.

"But that will smash the cupcakes," Dorothy protested.

"Excuse me," Mr. Butler interjected.  "May I ask your destination, and how many starving urchins you intend to be feeding when you get there?"

"Shooting."  

"Just the one," said Miss Fisher, nodding towards the Inspector.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What are the required food safety statements?
> 
> (The planned chapter 3 is going to be stand-alone. It doesnt have the lines from the challenge, and the tone changes a bit)

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a side effect of trying to find out what Peter Smith's revolver was in "Death at Victoria Dock".   
> 
> I found a matching image of "Colt New Service .455 Eley", and had to look up .455 in Wikipedia.  The cartridge was designed for revolvers, although other sources claim that variants of the Colt 1911 pistol were made to fire it. Phryne's isnt one of those.
> 
> Also, Jack's persnicity insistence on where he points the pistol and making sure it is unloaded is more or less the firearms safety equivalent of discussing family planning before a sex scene.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my first attempt at MFMM fic.


End file.
